The Green Eyed Boy and the Autumn Eyed Girl
The Captain Kirk Thing

"McKay," Colonel Sheppard greeted the astrophysicist, setting his duffel down and entering the organized chaos that was Rodney's lab on Atlantis. "You wanted to see me?"

Dr. McKay looked up from where he was working on his laptop. "Yes. There's an Ancient device that apparently requires activation by someone with the ATA gene."

"Rodney, you have the gene. Why do you need me to be your guinea pig?" John asked, clearly reluctant to be a part of another of Dr. McKay's experiments.

"Because it appears that the device requires activation by someone with a naturally occurring gene," Dr. McKay answered impatiently. "Now, if you would…" Rodney said before John interrupted him.

"Why not Major Lorne?" Colonel Sheppard asked, still hesitant to participate in whatever experiment Dr. McKay was conducting.

"What are you, five?" Rodney snarked.

"You possess a dominate gene and the strongest ability to access it," he conceded as he saw John's expression. "If I could do this I would. But since I can't, I need you to," the scientist explained impatiently. "It'll take all of a minute."

The military commander of Atlantis watched as Rodney picked up an ornate orb the size of a globe from one of his worktables and carried it over to him.

"That's the device Inarra gave us," John observed carefully, referring to the team's latest mission and the leader of the people that they had negotiated with during it.

"Yes, it is," Rodney responded, his tone unusually terse. "Now, if you please?" He asked impatiently as he held out the device.

"Inarra said that she was just giving it to us to safeguard. She said that the inscriptions indicated that the device could be potentially dangerous," John reminded the determined scientist.

"And of course the princess of some primitive agrarian society knows more about Ancient technology than an expert in the field like myself," Rodney countered sarcastically.

"Well, do you know what it does?"

"It's a power device; a sort of miniature ZedPM," Rodney answered confidently.

"I thought ZPMs were safe," John countered.

"They are."

"Then why would Inarra say that this one could be dangerous?"

"Superstitious princess; brilliant scientist," Rodney replied impatiently.

"Well, I'm inclined to follow Inarra's advice until we've had this thing for more than a few hours and know a little bit more about it."

"Of course you are," Dr. McKay responded, not bothering to hide his derision.

"And what is that suppose to mean, McKay?" Colonel Sheppard asked, responding to Rodney's tone.

"It means that I would expect that from you, being the Captain Kirk of the Pegasus Galaxy."

John's expression turned dark. "That'll be enough, Rodney."

"You'd think so," Rodney snarked. "Then again, I would think that it would be enough to have Elizabeth…" the scientist abruptly stopped his tirade.

"What about Dr. Weir?" Colonel Sheppard asked in confusion at the direction that the argument had suddenly turned.

"Nothing," Dr. McKay answered quickly. "Nothing, never mind," Rodney tried to dismiss what he had begun to say as he placed the Ancient device back on his worktable.

"McKay," John prompted. "McKay, what did you mean? Have Elizabeth…what?"

The astrophysicist squared his shoulders and turned back around to face the Lt. Colonel. Rodney studied John's face a moment before his expression became disbelieving. "You really don't see it, do you?" He asked, his voice incredulous.

"See what?" John asked, starting to grow impatient with Rodney.

"I mean, you'd think that you'd see it," Dr. McKay continued.

"McKay," the Colonel warned, his voice becoming more exasperated.

"I mean, how could you miss it? Especially when you clearly… even with your Captain Kirk thing…"

"McKay," John said, interrupting, "What is it I'm suppose to be seeing?"

"What everyone else, including Caldwell, can see," Dr. McKay explained. At John's continued look of incomprehension, Dr. McKay sighed. "Don't tell me that you're going to make me say this." When the Colonel said nothing, waiting for the scientist to explain himself, Rodney gave another sigh. He took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for something potentially dangerous.

"I've known Elizabeth for a while, and I've never seen her…" the scientist paused uncomfortably, "I've never seen her look at someone the way she looks at you. I've never seen her as close to someone as she is to. She obviously, you know…" Rodney said, gesturing vaguely.

John couldn't hide his surprise. It was not at all what he had expected to hear from McKay.

"Elizabeth, you know…?" John asked, using Dr. McKay's vague gesture.

The scientist began to look distinctly more uncomfortable.

Colonel Sheppard shook his head slightly, as if it would clear his thoughts. He tried to not look as stunned as he felt hearing Dr. McKay's words. Though whether that was because of what Rodney had said, or that he clearly believed what he was saying, John was uncertain.

"Find out more about the device and keep me updated, then we'll think about trying to use it," the military commander directed simply and abruptly, stepping away from the conversation.

After a moment, "I have practice with Teyla," he said, retrieving his duffel and making his way out of the lab without further comment.